NBA: Basketball Legend.

Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Stuck in Trouble? Use [Status Boost]!

Chapter 80: Stuck in Trouble? Use [Status Boost]!

There was still some time before tip-off, so naturally, the three clowns in the commentary booth weren’t just going to sit around twiddling their thumbs.

Barkley threw a glance at Kenny Smith and grinned. ”Alright, Kenny—who do you think drops more tonight? Kobe or Chen?”

Kenny looked down at his ”Chen Yan” branded underwear and raised a brow. ”This another one of your dumb bets again?”

”Of course!” Barkley said, cracking up. ”Gotta keep things spicy.”

Reggie Miller, posted up on the side munching on snacks like he was front row at a drama, chuckled to himself. He knew something entertaining was about to go down.

”I’m going with Chen. No doubt,” Kenny declared confidently, raising both hands like he’d already won. ”He dropped 40+ last game. I’m sold.”

”Hahaha... Then I guess I’m ridin’ with Kobe,” Barkley said with mock reluctance, though he was grinning ear to ear. Sure, Chen Yan was a monster rookie, but Kobe? He was the league’s most terrifying scoring machine.

Over the last two seasons, Kobe’s offensive bag was damn near untouchable—81 points in a single game, 62 in three quarters... The man lived in highlight reels.

”Alright, what’s the wager this time?” Kenny asked, arms crossed.

Barkley’s eyes roamed the studio and landed on Reggie. ”Loser’s gotta kiss Reggie.”

Kenny recoiled like he’d smelled something rotten. ”Man, that’s nasty.”

”Yeah, disgusting for you,” Barkley shot back, laughing.

Kenny clapped back instantly. ”Save that mouth of yours—Reggie’s waiting!”

As the two clowns laughed it up, Reggie Miller blinked in disbelief.

”Wait, hold up—what the hell?!” Reggie said, confused and betrayed. ”How the hell did I get dragged into this? I’m just over here eating my popcorn!”

---

As warm-ups wrapped up, both squads headed back to the locker room.

Coach D’Antoni didn’t draw up anything fancy. No secret plays or heavy strategy. His message was simple: push the tempo and get the ball moving.

He wanted the game played at Phoenix’s speed—run ’n gun all the way.

The Suns were confident. Over the past couple seasons, they’d had the Lakers’ number. That gave them a psychological edge going in.

Back in the locker room, the players suited up—jerseys on, sneakers laced, pads locked in. The war was about to begin.

Meanwhile, Chen Yan took advantage of the brief lull before heading out. He reached into his locker and grabbed his phone.

It was a habit carried over from his past life—always checking his phone during downtime.

He tapped open his messages first, then flicked over to Penguin.

Sure enough, his inbox was overflowing.

Kobe’s fanbase in China was insane. Just on Penguin, over half the messages were asking Chen to hook them up—autographs, jerseys, signed sneakers.

There were messages from elementary school classmates, high school acquaintances, and even some randos from cram school he hadn’t talked to in years. Most weren’t even close to him—yet here they were, begging for favors.

Chen Yan just rolled his eyes and ignored the lot of them. He had bigger things on his plate.

”Hey! Chen, let’s go! Game time!” Nash called out, patting him on the shoulder.

Snapping out of it, Chen locked his phone in the cabinet and jogged out with the rest of the squad, entering the tunnel alongside his teammates.

After a short entrance ceremony, the battle officially began.

---

Starting Lineups:

Lakers

PG – Derek Fisher

SG – Kobe Bryant

SF – Luke Walton

PF – Kevin Garnett

C – Kwame Brown

Suns

PG – Steve Nash

SG – Chen Yan

SF – Raja Bell

PF – Boris Diaw

C – Amare Stoudemire

Garnett won the tip-off with ease. Lakers ball.

Honestly, seeing The Big Ticket in purple and gold was weird as hell—just didn’t sit right.

But Chen Yan didn’t have time to dwell on aesthetics. The game had started. Focus was everything.

Fisher crossed half-court quickly and swung it to Garnett at the high post before darting down to the corner.

Kobe posted up on the low block. The triangle was in full effect from the first possession—Phil Jackson’s signature offense.

Garnett lobbed the ball in.

Kobe caught it and immediately got into his bag—shoulder fakes, pivots, footwork so clean it should be illegal.

The Suns doubled instantly.

But Kobe wasn’t the same solo-hero from a couple seasons back. Now, he had teammates he could actually trust.

He elevated mid-spin and fired a pass back to KG.

Instead of pulling the trigger, Garnett lifted his arms like he was going up—only to dish a fake-out dime into the paint.

Walton, slashing from the weak side, caught it clean and laid it in.

2–0, Lakers.

The Suns defense had gambled hard on Garnett shooting. Big mistake. KG’s court vision was elite—he’d averaged over 5 assists per game for years for a reason.

Now it was Phoenix’s turn.

As the ball was inbounded, Nash wasted no time pushing the tempo. He rocketed across half-court and passed it straight to Chen on the wing.

Letting Chen Yan take the first few possessions had practically become a regular tactic for the Suns.

He held the ball in one hand beyond the three-point arc.

Kobe Bryant was tasked with guarding the rookie who had been lighting up the league in recent games.

Since 2000, Kobe had been selected to the All-Defensive Team five times. He was, without a doubt, one of the toughest perimeter defenders in the NBA. On top of that, Kobe was a relentless competitor—physically gifted, mentally obsessed with the game, and always looking to break his opponent’s will.

He was the last guy any rookie wanted to see in a one-on-one situation.

So Chen Yan didn’t waste any time. He went straight to his killer move—a nasty, oversized double crossover!

But Kobe stuck with him like glue. It was as if he already knew Chen Yan’s go-to moves, his rhythm, his preferred angles. He wasn’t biting on any fakes.

Clearly, Kobe had done his homework.

He might’ve joked in the media about Chen Yan playing like a high schooler, but behind the scenes, he had studied the rookie’s game tape countless times.

Still unable to shake free, Chen Yan pivoted quickly, took a hard sidestep, and dribbled the ball through his legs.

That tiny shift was just enough to create half a body’s worth of shooting space.

Without hesitation, he activated his skill: [Unstoppable Pull-Up].

Kobe, ever the competitor, reacted instantly—he rose up to contest the shot right as Chen Yan lifted off.

They were both airborne at the same time.

But Chen Yan didn’t flinch. He ignored the tight defense and launched from well beyond the arc.

Swish!

The ball ripped through the net like a missile.

Suns 3, Lakers 2.

”Yo! What a shot! Chen Yan just buried one in Kobe’s face!”

”Kobe actually played perfect defense there—but it didn’t matter. That shot was cold-blooded!”

The two CCTV commentators couldn’t help but hype up their rising star. Chen Yan’s pull-up was textbook... but little did they know, it would be one of his only bright spots in the first half.

---

Halftime Score: Lakers 59, Suns 51

Chen Yan struggled for most of the half.

He went just 2-for-7 from the field, 1-for-3 from deep, and 2-of-4 at the line, finishing with 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists.

That kind of efficiency? Not up to his standard.

This was his first taste of a back-to-back road trip in the NBA, and the fatigue was clearly affecting him.

The league wasn’t just about skill—it was about stamina, focus, mental toughness, and adapting under pressure. Even his system-based skills weren’t firing the same way under that kind of wear and tear.

Plus, the atmosphere inside Staples Center was electric. Kobe and Garnett were bringing playoff-level intensity on defense. Every possession felt like a war.

Between the fatigue and that smothering pressure, Chen Yan had lost his rhythm.

On the other hand, Kobe was cooking.

At halftime, Kobe had 16 points and 4 rebounds, shooting 6-of-11 on twos, 2-of-4 from three, and hitting both free throws. His mid-range game looked automatic, and he’d taken command of the tempo.

Charles Barkley was already grinning during the TNT halftime show. Looked like he was about to win another bet.

Kenny Smith? He nervously glanced down at his waistband, dreading another ”kiss Reggie Miller in your boxers” moment on live TV.

---

Tunnel Talk

As the players headed back to the locker room, Lakers fans let Chen Yan hear it.

They were loving the fact that the hyped-up rookie was getting clamped on their home floor.

”Yo, young blood! You ain’t getting 30 on Kobe’s head tonight, that’s for sure!”

”Maybe shoot for 10 points instead? That’s more your speed!”

Even Kobe couldn’t resist.

”You still chasing 30 tonight?” he asked with a smirk as they walked into the tunnel. ”Might wanna lower the bar a bit.”

Chen Yan didn’t take the bait.

He kept walking, head down, straight to the locker room. No trash talk. No reaction.

He knew better than to let his opponent rattle his mindset.

---

Halftime Adjustments

Inside the locker room, Suns coach Mike D’Antoni pulled Chen Yan aside for a one-on-one.

”Relax, Chen. It’s just a regular season game,” he said, voice calm.

”Play your game. Don’t press. If we lose, so what? You’ve got nothin’ to prove tonight—just go out there and do what you do.”

”Your rhythm’s a little off right now, that’s normal. I’m keeping you in the starting five for the second half. Use your speed, attack the paint, draw some contact. You’re a weapon—we need you to be one.”

D’Antoni gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.

Chen Yan nodded silently and headed back to his seat.

His coach still believed in him.

That was enough.

He had to deliver in the second half—not just for the team, but for himself.

That’s when he remembered something.

He had one more tool left in his system inventory...

The [Status Upgrade Card].

If he wanted to flip the switch quickly—this was it. The card would temporarily boost his performance for the rest of the game. It was the ultimate adrenaline shot.

Sure, it was just one half left—but if they could win this game and he hit 30+ again, it wouldn’t just be a comeback. It’d be legendary.

The Suns were facing the Clippers and Supersonics next—both beatable teams. If they pulled this one out, they could ride the momentum into an eight-game win streak.

More wins meant more honor points, more rewards, and a bigger spotlight.

But most of all, Chen Yan wanted this win because Kobe was on the other side.

This whole generation of hoopers grew up idolizing the Black Mamba. Everyone wanted a shot to take him down.

And now, he had one.

Chen Yan took a deep breath, opened the system panel, and selected the card.

”Use Status Upgrade Card.”

Ding! Prop Card [Status Upgrade Card] has been activated.

Duration: One game (including overtime).

Remaining time: One half.

It was go time.

Check my Pâtreon for Advanced Chapters

Pâtreon .com/Fanficlord03

Change (â) to (a)

https://discord